Heretofore, apparatuses for playing recordings have been equipped with a function known as a "memory" which, for any type of recording medium (disc, cassette, tape, etc.) placed in the operating position, enables the user to program and store in memory, at any given time, only those recordings which he wishes to reproduce at a later time, by entering a particular reference for each recording (order of occurrence on the medium, number in the index, etc.). In fact the large majority of media comprise several recordings, only some of which appeal to the user.
This "memory" function requires that each recording medium must have been previously identified by means of a signature, either automatically (medium identification number, total duration of recordings, number of recordings, etc.), or manually by the user introducing an appropriate reference (number, name of medium, etc.)
Once the "favorite" recordings of a particular recording medium have been memorized, each time when said medium is placed again in the operating position in the reproduction apparatus, said device recognizes the signature and automatically reproduces only those recordings whose references have previously been stored in memory by the user.
For example, compact disc players equipped with such a function are available on the consumer market under the brand names Philips (model CD624 - FTS system), Sony (model CDP-X55 - personalized memory system), etc.
However, it has been established that such a memory function is not frequently used, not because of lack of interest but because it requires a large number of operations which are very often abstract for the average user. It is well known that consumers give up using a function as soon as it involves a succession of operations, since they do not remember them and they are not disposed to look up the instruction manual every time.
Furthermore, if a user wishes to program the "favorite" recordings on a medium, he has to consult the contents list of said medium to obtain the references, otherwise it is not possible to correctly locate and memorize the references of these recordings, because the disc is in the operating position inside the reproduction apparatus. Moreover, for apparatuses mounted in vehicles, the user, who is generally the driver, for obvious safety reasons cannot carry out the multiple operations necessary, and this is the reason why apparatuses for vehicles have heretofore not been provided with such a "memory" function.
As a result, "programming" or "memory" functions for memorizing "favorite" recordings are not often used, despite the advantages they could bring.